Magnet schools set for certification

Officials say all standards have been met for International Baccalaureate program

By Jamon SmithStaff Writer

Published: Saturday, January 26, 2013 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, January 26, 2013 at 12:17 a.m.

TUSCALOOSA | Officials with the Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools say they have done all they can to reach the goal of becoming full-fledged International Baccalaureate schools.

The schools have increased the art, music and foreign language curriculum to the 50 hours a year each that’s required to be an IB program. They’ve hired a part-time art teacher, part-time music teacher, full-time Spanish teacher and two full-time IB coordinators to help achieve those teaching goals, as well as all of the paperwork and constant reporting that’s required to be IB. They’ve shaped the school curriculum to teach the eight classes required, and they have implemented project-based learning so the schools would look and feel like IB schools.

The schools’ full-time teachers and elective teachers are even required to understand and incorporate the IB philosophy, which is teaching all eight subjects in all eight subjects — in music class, students would not only learn music, they’d learn the history of it, and they’d use math to learn how to make instruments, for example.

All that’s left now is for the school to finally and officially become IB authorized.

“We had a pre-authorization visit from IB in October 2012,” said Kristi Thomson, principal of Tuscaloosa Magnet School Middle. “She spent the day at our schools doing interviews, observing and checking to see if we had our 50 hours of art for all students, 50 hours of music and 50 hours of Spanish.”

“We’re now completing a form to qualify for the visit that we believe we’ll get in October this year, which will be the authorization visit needed for us to become an IB school,” she said.

Thomson said she’s positive that the Tuscaloosa Magnet School Elementary and Tuscaloosa Magnet School Middle will become IB authorized. The IB official who visited the schools in October last year had no complaints. She only asked that the school system consider implementing an IB program for ninth and 10th grades.

There’s a high school IB program at Central High School, but it’s for 11th and 12th grades.

Thomson said it’s up to the school board to decide on that.

The IB program began in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1968 and is a standardized, advanced education program with an international curriculum accepted worldwide in 138 countries.

Some IB courses can count for college credit, and statistics have shown that IB students are up to 30 percent more likely to be accepted into college. Many IB students also receive full scholarships.

The Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools opened in August 2009. In April 2011, Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools Elementary and Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools Middle became official candidates for the IB program.

Reach Jamon Smith at jamon.smith@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0204.

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